Synchronicity
by NeonSyzygy
Summary: Gather round, one and all, and make sure you get comfortable, for I'm about to tell you a tale. A tale of love and loss, bravery and battles, friendship and freedom. Sometimes, though, there's a little more to the story than you might expect. IchiRuki, AU, based on Hitoshizuku-P's Synchronicity series.
1. Past

_Fate that can't be resisted_  
_-To this light, this fate-_  
_Set it free_  
_-Set the darkness free-_

* * *

Once upon a time, although not as long ago as you might think, there was a cavern. Which doesn't sound particularly exciting, no, but it's more interesting than you'd think.

The cavern, set deep into the land's largest mountains, could easily have swallowed any city. The one entrance, set into one wall, led across to one large stone pillar in the very center of the cavern, over one long, smooth bridge. It could easily take five minutes to walk from the far edge of the bridge to the center, which is a rather long time, when you think about how fast someone would walk, knowing they were on a stone walkway bridging a seemingly bottomless chasm. The rest of the cavern, as I already mentioned, appeared to have no end. A bright blue-green haze blocked any chance of seeing down there, and very few people had ever been stupid enough to jump. The walls and roof glinted faintly, precious metals and gems set into the rock much too far away for anyone to reach.

Although it would be called a pedestal, the circle of rock in the very center was huge- large enough to fit hundreds of people, if needed. But it hadn't ever been needed for that purpose, so we'll never know exactly how many people would actually fit on. Ringing the edge of the the platform were dark metal braziers, glowing with a blue fire the same colour as the mist, casting odd shadows in unusual places. Singing always echoed quietly through the cavern, although we'll get to that later.

Now we come to the part where you need to pay attention, because odds are you won't have been for the last paragraph. In the middle of the platform stood a girl. She could have been a woman for all I know, no-one ever really saw her face properly. She stood perfectly still, and you would have sworn she was a statue apart from her huge chest, which rose and fell as-

No, I'm sorry. I'm getting sidetracked. Let's just say, she was beautiful, in a porcelain-doll kind of way. A mask always covered her upper face, not that it was needed. Her image had been long forgotten by anyone of that world, and her expression never changed. Apart from now.

A scream, feminine and thin, suddenly echoed around the cavern, coming from the mists below. A deafening roar erupted seconds later, and the scream cut off. The woman shuddered violently, dropping to her knees. If you could see her face, which would have been difficult, given that she was looking at the floor, it was contorted with pain and one other emotion, somewhere between sorrow and rage. She stayed like that for several seconds, the dove on her shoulder- oh yes, I forgot to mention that- curiously looking at her. Not too long after, though, she stood up. Gently moving the bird onto her wrist, she threw it up into the air, and it quickly left the cavern. The woman wasn't worried in the slightest. The bird was a message, and the message knew where to go.

She watched it go, and then turned around and gracefully walked toward the opposite end of the platform to the entrance. Staring off into the haze, she began to sing. Her voice was ethereal, lighter, but somehow also more powerful than the voice that had just stopped.

You're probably thinking, 'There's nothing interesting in a girl singing! What's the point of a story about that?' Well, although I can admit a tale just about singing would be boring, this one is not just about that. In fact, it's barely about that woman at all. This is the story of true love, something unstoppable but also a great burden. This is the story of a boy and a girl.

And like many love stories, it all starts with a kiss.

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia had known each other for as long as they could remember. Born in the same small town, at about the same time, they'd grown up together. That implies that they got on well, though, and that would be lying. The two of them butted heads at the slightest thing, from the correct way to get on a horse to how to eat an apple. Behind their backs, the town described them as like an old married couple, and went to great lengths to try and get them together, which never really seemed to work, except once.

It had been a dare, and neither Ichigo nor Rukia, at the ages of 13 and 12, respectively, would turn that down and be labelled as a coward. It was a quick and clumsy kiss, but it was the start of a much bigger story all the same.

Years later, when they were older and generally made an active effort to avoid each other, Rukia walked out of the village, clutching a messily-written note in one hand. It told her to go to the start of the path that ran through the nearby forest, and hadn't been signed. Although it took her almost half-an-hour, she eventually got there. The forest was known to be huge, although no-one had ever been to the other side, so it was unmapped to a large extent. Still, many paths ran through it, and it was hard to get lost in unless you wandered astray.

The raven-haired girl paused at the beginning of the largest path, having looked around and seen no-one. Suddenly, a hand touched her shoulder, and she spun around, only to see the tall, orange-haired boy she'd fought with her entire life standing there with a smirk across his face.

"You." Rukia simply said, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't tell me you didn't recognise my handwriting." joked Ichigo, still smirking.

The girl stuck her nose up in the air, trying her best to lie. "Of course I did. I knew it would be you here, and I knew that you'd-"

She was cut off as Ichigo bent down a little, put one hand on her shoulder, and pressed his lips to hers. Rukia rolled her eyes, but didn't push him away, and simply placed her hands on her hips. He pulled away after a few seconds, and they linked hands without a word and walked into the forest.

They'd walked in companionable silence for a while when Ichigo stopped, looking around. It was a bright day, and even though the forest and its canopy were thick, sunlight filtered down and bathed everything in a green glow. Rukia looked up at him, silently curious about why he'd stopped. Not saying anything either, Ichigo dug around in his pocket, bringing out a few thin strands of string. Off each hung a small metal pendant, one a white crescent, and the other a black circle. He held them by the tips of his fingers, letting the pendants weigh the strings down.

"A black sun and a white moon." He said quietly, looking straight at Rukia. "Us." Smiling, Ichigo moved around to behind her, tying the necklace with the black sun around her neck. She quickly returned the favour, kissing him afterward. She looked up at him, for he was much taller than her. "Ichigo... You idiot. This makes it impossible to hide." The boy grinned, ruffling her hair, much to the girl's embarassment. "What if I don't want to hide it? What if-"

A shout from in the trees cut him off, and they both spun, looking for the source of the sound, only to be bombarded with soldiers surrouding them. They were royal guards, which was odd, given that they were very rarely seen so far away from the capital and the palace. Ichigo stepped beside Rukia, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders.

"What do you want?" He asked brusequely.

One of the soldiers, dressed a little gaudier than the others, stepped forward an inch. "We came for the girl, son. Now, come quietly and without a fuss, and no-one has to get hurt." Rukia shook her head. There was no way she was just going to be pulled away to an unknown place with a troop of soldier. T

he man sighed. "Alright then." Then he nodded to the rest of the soldiers, and they swarmed in around Ichigo and Rukia. Pulling them away from each other, Ichigo was violently battered and kicked as he tried to fight back, and Rukia was quickly gagged and her hands tied behind her back as they pulled her in the direction of the edge of the forest. He lay on the ground a minute or two later, in pain and consciousness fading, when he faintly heard the soldiers yell something.

"She's to be a Diva, so take her to Aizen when we get back, understood?!" And all Ichigo could think of as he drifted off into unconsciousness was that he would find her, no matter what.

Now, I hope you were all paying attention, because I hate that part, so I'm not telling it again. But don't worry, there's more still left to tell. You ask what this story is called? Well, it has many names, for I've told it all over the world, but my favourite...

The name of this story is Synchronicity.

* * *

And so ends the first part of the adventure. I'd think it's pretty easy to guess what it's an adaptation of- If you haven't seen it already, you really should go and watch the Synchronicity series by Rin and Len on YouTube or Nico or something of the like. I will warn you, the series is now finished, so the end is a bit of a spoiler. I will be changing it though, so don't worry.

Also, this is a bit of an early birthday/late Christmas present to the wonderful Erin ^^ There's more of your present coming too.

Reviews would be a big help!

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Vocaloid, or the song series upon which this fic is based on._


	2. Fate

Three years later, Rukia had grown into a beautiful young woman, all big violet eyes and raven hair. She slowly walked, barefoot and wearing only a simple white dress, through a deep gorge, following the bends and curves of the rock. A gorge was the best way to describe it, but really, it was more like a chasm, as no light came in from the outside, which forced Rukia to assume there was a roof, far above. A glowing haze blocked any chance she had of seeing it, although it did give off enough light for her to see, at least. One hand was by her side, the other one was clutched to her chest, fingers tight around a small object.

She walked, tentatively looking around every corner, which did save her from too much surprise when she rounded a bend to see a huge, dark cave before her. You could easily see the ceiling here, even if it was still far above, and there was no mist to give off light. Rukia stopped at the entrance to the cave, light at her back and utter darkness before her. Taking a deep breath, disturbing the heavy silence, she stepped into the shadow, only to be greeted by a terrifying roar. She stumbled backwards, and heavy footfalls followed her into the light, where parts emerged one at a time. A clawed foot, powerful legs, and a scaly body were followed by a majestic head, the reptilian eyes staring at her. It was all the girl could do to stare. Dragons hadn't been seen for hundreds of years, and she'd never even heard of one growing as large as this one. It was awe-inspiring and utterly terrifying at the same time, and she just stood there, frozen.

The dragon broke her out of her lull, roaring yet again, so powerfully that she flinched away. But she stood up straight after a second or two, letting the hand at her chest fall down to her side, the fingers loosening. She'd been told for years what she would have to do, and now she would do it. It wasn't like she could back out anyway.

Clearing her throat once, Rukia opened her mouth and began to sing. It had a magical, echoing quality, like the many voices which had come before her, and seemed to fill the whole chasm. The dragon almost seemed to smile, and lay down surprisingly gently, but didn't close its eyes, instead staring at her. Rukia felt a cold spot on her cheek, and, not pausing the soft melody, reached up to touch it. Her fingers came away damp. Was she crying? She closed her eyes, and one more tear rolled down her pale cheek. Her fingers opened, and the small metal disk in her hand hit the ground with a resounding chime. There was no use thinking about things that could and might have been.  
And so the black sun necklace was left on the floor, gathering dust.

* * *

Ichigo bent down to the ground, picking up the necklace of a white moon which he'd dropped. His long fingers brushed the dust off, hanging it around his neck. He stood up straight, staring at the road out of the small town where his life had been. He'd grown tall, taller than anyone else he knew, and his once gangly limbs were muscular and tanned. He hefted his pack onto his back, and started walking. The little village was all he had known, but his world had long moved on, and he was going to find it. He didn't look back for quite a while, and by the time he did, it had disappeared behind the hills.

As he walked, Ichigo stared at an old map, tracing roads with one finger. The nearest large town, a day's walk, was marked by a small dot and some small illustrations of houses. From there, the roads twisted and turned, through valleys and over the most eastern tip of the Karakura mountain range, until it reached the capital. That was where he was headed. His father, a former royal guard, had told him where to find some old friends of his, who would help him find what he was looking for. The goodbye hadn't been a particularly emotional one. His father had just awkwardly hugged him, wishing his son luck, a sad, almost pitying smile playing across his face, like there was something he knew which Ichigo didn't.

The sun was just sinking over the hills, casting a red glow over everything, when Ichigo arrived at the town. It could aptly be called a crossroads town, as roads stretched away from it in every direction, and it was always full of travellers. He walked through it, looking right and left for an inn to stay at, still being shouted at by merchants and vendors trying to sell the last of their wares before it was dark. Turning a corner, he was greeted by a startling scene. A girl, twelve at the most, was being pulled from her house, crying, by a group of royal guards, while an older woman, probably her mother, clawed at their arms, yelling. Narrowing his eyes, the orange haired teenager pulled his sword, something his father had given him, from its sheath on his back. It was in surprisingly good condition, considering that it had been under a bed for who knew how many years. Ichigo strode over to one of the guards, placing the edge of the sword against his throat. Unfortunately for them, the other soldiers weren't as frozen by that move as he expected, and the two others rushed toward him. Sighing, he simply dodged their clumsy attacks, reflexes honed by years of his father trying to catch him off-guard. They were easy to subdue- a jab to the chin with the base of his palm left them unconscious on the ground. The one soldier still conscious released the girl, who immediately ran back to her mother, and Ichigo resumed his original position of holding the blade to the man's neck.

"Now, why on earth would a royal guard be trying to kidnap an innocent child?" He asked, giving the soldier a look that would have curdled milk.

"It- it's just under Lord Aizen's o- orders," he stammered out, shaking. "She's going to be a Diva, which is why Aizen wants her."

Ichigo felt his heart stop for a second at the mention of the word he'd heard so long ago, but quickly regained control, snarling out, "And what would this 'Diva' be?"

All blood appeared to drain from the soldier's face at the prospect of the tall, orange haired man's rage. "W- w- we don't know anything, I swear! Aizen ju- just tells us who to get."

He narrowed his eyes, pushing the soldier away. "Go," Ichigo almost yelled, "and tell Aizen to pick on someone his own size." The soldier scrambled away, ignoring his comrades, still unconscious on the ground. Ichigo watched him go before turning back to the girl and her mother.

"Are you alright?" He asked kindly, and the girl nodded, silent. "Good. Both of you need to leave, now. Go into the mountains, to the sea, wherever, just somewhere no-one knows you. He'll come looking again, I promise you." He smiled once before sheathing his sword again and striding away. With his long jacket blowing around in the breeze and a sword on his back, he looked like some rogue hero, and both the girl and her mother stared at him until he disappeared down the street.

Not willing to try his chances at an inn anymore, given that the one craven soldier might be inside with a few more friends, he made his way to the edge of the town, hood up, casting a dark, mysterious shadow over his face. He made his camp in a small clearing in the forest just outside of the town, and quickly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

The capital was a prosperous city, set at an incredibly fertile area near the edge of an impossibly huge desert. Many natural underground springs fed the aqueducts and fountains, and it was always awash with colour, from the bright merchant caravans to the robes and dresses of the citizens, every imaginable colour of the rainbow. The city was splayed around the palace, which was made of white marble and glowed in the midday sun. But, no matter how well off it may have been, there were still the shady areas of the city, where laws were less enforced and people turned a blind eye. This was where the gangs and the brothels were situated, and this was where Yoruichi worked. An exotic looking woman, with a full figure and dark skin, she was easily the most popular prostitute in the city, and lived a surprisingly luxurious life. Given that it was a city where the richest were the socially highest, being a prostitute was rarely looked down upon, especially when you were as good at it and had as much money as Yoruichi did.

It was one morning, as she lay beside a man who'd payed an incredibly large amount to have her actually sleep beside him as well as provide her normal services, that she heard a tentative knock on the room's door. A second later, a girl walked in. Soi Fon, the complete opposite of Yoruichi with her pale skin and small stature, was a teenager who'd come to the brothel for money for her family, who lived on a poor farm. Although she was still too young to provide service to anyone, Yoruichi, who'd bought the brothel off the previous owner, suspected she'd found some new competition.

"Excuse me, Lady Yoruichi, but there's a man- well, boy here demanding to see you."

The older woman sighed. "I'm still with this one for another two hours. He'll just have to wait."

Soi Fon shook her head. "Not that kind of seeing, my lady. He says he's the son of someone called Isshin Kurosaki. He wants to talk to you about something."

Yoruichi felt her eyes widen. It had been many years since she'd heard from Isshin, and the last reports she'd got had been 20 years ago, and they had only said that he was dead. She quickly pushed back the sheets of the bed, climbing out as Soi Fon walked over, passing her a clean dress. Yoruichi smiled as she saw the younger girl averting her eyes, her pale skin not doing much to hide the blush.

She ruffled the girl's hair as she walked past, and the girl huffed. "You'll have to get a little more used to it. Remember, the head prostitute gets to teach any younger ones before they have their first client."

Soi Fon turned as red as a tomato, trying to say something but only managing to let out an embarrassed squeak instead, as Yoruichi simply walked out, chuckling.

* * *

Ichigo had been very surprised when he'd knocked on the door at the address his father had given him to find a room full of scantily-dressed women, with men and women leading them off into small bedrooms or just sitting on couches, fondling body parts. Trying his best to ignore them, he walked across the room, just dodging several attractive girls who tried to pull him over to them. Pushing open a door clumsily labelled 'Manager,' he found a tiny room, cluttered with books. Some of them were open, and had rather erotic illustrations, which Ichigo tried to keep his eyes away from. A small girl sat on a chair in a corner, intently focused on yet another book. He hated to think what might be inside it.

Ichigo cleared his throat, but before he could say anything, the girl spoke up.

"You pay on your way out, if that's what you're asking. If women aren't to your taste, there's another brothel in the next street that has men." She didn't look at him the whole time. Ichigo stood there for a second, not sure what to say. The girl looked up at him, dark eyes framed by pale skin and black hair.

"Why are you still here?" She asked bluntly.

"I'm here to see someone called Yoruichi." He said awkwardly.

The girl looked him up and down, her expression changing for the first time since he'd walked in, into a look of complete disbelief.

"I seriously doubt you'd have anywhere near enough money for Lady Yoruichi. Even if you did, she's with a client at the moment, so you'll just have to wait."

Ichigo's jaw dropped. "I'm not here for that!" He objected. "I need to talk to her about something. Tell her I'm the son of Isshin Kurosaki." The girl still looked skeptical, but she stood up and left the room without a word anyway. It was ten minutes before she returned, and by then Ichigo was thoroughly disturbed, after his curiosity got the better of him and he had a closer look at one of the books.

"Lady Yoruichi says she'll see you. Follow me." The girl stepped around several piles of books, and opened a door at the back of the room which he hadn't noticed earlier. He walked in, only to have the girl shut the door behind him. Ichigo sighed, moving further into the room. It was decorated gaudily, in the style of the nomadic desert people, all reds and oranges, with gold everywhere. He walked up to a small table at the very back of the room. On it was a single picture frame. Inside was a small picture, which was surprising enough, given that photographs could only be taken and developed by the most powerful magicians. The picture was of four people, all smiling in a bunch. His father was one of them, looking much younger and oddly handsome. A blond man with a mischievous glint in his eye and an enigmatic smile stood with his arm around a beautiful dark-skinned woman, whose cat-like eyes stared out at him. His father held hands with another woman, her long, orange-brown hair messy and wild. All in all, they looked happy.

"Your father was quite the ladies' man when he was younger." Said a voice behind him. Ichigo spun, to see the dark woman from the picture standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. A white dress, belted with a gold filigree belt and matching clips on her shoulders, made her amber eyes stand out, even if it did barely cover her chest.  
She gestured gracefully to a pair of cushions on the floor. "Sit."

Ichigo did as he was told. He had a feeling that there would be no point disobeying this woman. She sat, and, looking up at him, grinned, taking a long sip from her wine glass.

"I'm Yoruichi. I'm surprised Isshin sent you to me for anything, to be honest." She tilted her head, smiling, and at that moment, seemed more feline than ever.

Ichigo held out his hand, and the woman shook it. "Ichigo." He shrugged. "He said you could help me."

"I may be able to, I may not. A prostitute has a lot of influence in a city like this. Depends on what you need though."

The teenager took a deep breath, trying to not get frustrated by her unclear answer. "I need to get into the palace. I need to talk to Lord Aizen."

Yoruichi didn't reply immediately, taking a long sip of the wine. "Well, I can't say I've ever met this Lord Aizen, and getting admission as a servant could take months..."

Ichigo felt his heart sink, but she continued. "However, I do have a... Let's call him a contact, in the palace, and he knows a few ways in and out. I'll need a day to get in touch with him, though. And as you should know, everything has a price."

His head jerked up. "I don't have any mon-"

Yoruichi cut him off by leaning forward and putting a finger on his lips. "I don't want money. I have plenty of that. What I want is something much more valuable. Firstly, I want to hear your story. I'll make a decision after that."

* * *

Much later, after the city had gone dark and Ichigo had left the brothel to stay in an inn, a single man walked through the corridors of the palace. He was deathly pale, and his pure black hair didn't help. With his armour, cloak and sword, the only colour was his eyes, a deep green. That, and a blue hairpin in the shape of a flower which was pinned to the collar of his undershirt. He held a letter in one hand, the other resting on the hilt of his sword. The man slowed down as he approached a pair of doors, and rapped his knuckles on them.

"You may enter." A voice called out from inside. Pushing open one wooden door, he walked into the dark room, his gaze moving to a desk at the back of the room, lit by several candles which were the only source of light. Another man sat behind the desk, sandy blonde hair falling between his eyes. He looked up as the man approached.  
"Ulquiorra. What can I do for you?" He asked.

Ulquiorra, for that was the man's name, replied back with little expression, "You should address me as Sir Ulquiorra, Lord Mage."

Urahara, the Lord Mage in question, snorted unceremoniously. "If you're a proper knight, then I'm a king."

The knight decided not to reply, thinking that it was just a waste of time. "I have a letter for you."

The mage and scholar took the paper, breaking the unmarked wax seal. Ulquiorra walked out of the room, stoic and silent as usual. Urahara looked down at the letter, smiling a little as he recognised the handwriting.

_Kisuke,_  
_Guess who I met today? Seems Isshin managed to settle down with Masaki, and his son came to see me. Not in the kind of seeing that you might think, though, you naughty man._  
_He needs to get into the palace. Something about Aizen and a Diva. Keep an eye on him. He seems a little desperate, and Aizen is dangerous. There's a girl involved, and you know how Isshin could be._  
_Be careful._  
_Yoruichi._

* * *

Lalala, Happy Valentine's (aka. Forever alone) Day everyone!  
I like writing Yoruichi more than I probably should.  
Reviews would be much appreciated ^^


	3. Whisper

Ichigo had been given a reply from Yoruichi's mysterious contact the following morning. In an odd comparison to the instructions he'd given Rukia three years ago, he made his way along a thin ledge above a dirty waterway that ran out from the palace, as the letter had told him. As he rounded a corner, a metal grate loomed in front. He paused for a second, not knowing how to get past, but quickly spotted the hole in the grate, and quietly slid through. He continued walking along the ledge on the other side, a stone which had been enchanted to glow held in one hand. Yoruichi had given it to him, saying that he'd have more use for it than she would.

Ichigo slowed down as the warm yellow light of a torch appeared ahead. There was a single torch on the wall, and stuck to the wall underneath it was a small note.

_Aizen will be in the corridor directly above at midday. Be there before that, there are some good places to hide. Make sure you leave before one hour past midday. Watch out for the black and white knight._

He'd started his journey at the ninth hour, and he'd been traveling for roughly two hours. That would mean he had a bit under an hour to wait. Ichigo sat down on the walkway, staring into the dark and listening to the flow of the water. He'd find out what Aizen was up to, sooner or later.

* * *

Urahara, the palace's most powerful mage, walked along the white corridors toward Aizen's solar. He'd been thinking about confronting the lord for weeks now, and although it was still as dangerous as ever, perhaps now was the best time. He stopped at the doors the Aizen's chambers, steeling himself, and knocked on them quickly. A guard opened the door from the inside, gesturing for Urahara to come in.

Aizen himself sat at a dark wooden desk in the center of the room. It was strewn with papers, although the rest of the room put even the maids to shame, given how organised it was. The books were perfectly ordered in some system that Aizen had devised himself, and the decor was expensive and spotless. Aizen looked up as Urahara walked in, smiling kindly. The man looked like someone who could be your friendly uncle, the one who gave everyone treats and was good for a hug. His glasses gave him a scholarly feel, and although the scholar air was correct, any friendliness he appeared to have was a complete lie. All the servants knew him as pretty much a ruthless killer. He'd fire any servant who got in his way, and some of the rumours were terrifying. In public, the lord wore a mask of smiles and cheer, but Urahara hadn't been called the Master of Whisperers for nothing.

"Why, Urahara. What brings you to my humble office on a beautiful day like this?" Aizen asked, his voice calm and collected. The mage turned, and after dismissing the guards from the room, turned back, his eyes narrow.

"Cut the act, Aizen. I know who you are and what you're doing."

Aizen smiled, but not in any way kindly or comfortingly, and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "And what exactly do you know?"

Urahara stood his ground, summing up everything he knew in his head. "I know that you're a manipulative parasite and you've wormed your way to the top of this country's government by eliminating anyone who stood in your way. I know that you keep some sort of creature in a cave in the Karakura mountain range, and that you kidnap girls to keep it subdued. And... I know that by keeping it alive but subdued, you've gained immortality. Which, as you should know as a scholar, is the taboo of mankind."

Aizen looked down, taking off his glasses as if to clean them. "Every single word of that is true, although I do dislike the word parasite. I think 'opportunistic' is better." He looked up then, and without the glasses, you could see the pure evil and deadly intelligence in his eyes. "So, Lord Mage, what are you going to do about it?"

The mage paused. Aizen actually had a good point. He may have thought about what he was going to say, but forgot about think about what he'd actually do. "The only thing I can do. Make you leave the palace and give up office, now and here." Urahara held one hand out, and a flame appeared in his palm, dancing and throwing light around the room.

The other man, sighed, standing up. He shot a glance at Urahara's hand, and the flame guttered out. "Anything you do is useless, Kisuke. Ponder this for a second- not only am I immortal, but the creature gives me great power."

Urahara paled, understanding the depth of Aizen's plotting. Was it really possible he could have a dragon?

Aizen called for the guards to re-enter the room, and they stormed over to the speechless mage, forcing his arms behind his back and his knees to the ground.

"It is a double edged sword, Lord Mage." The title was patronising, almost an accusation now. "Release it, and you know what happens. Killing it is impossible. Leave it, and I stay." Aizen paused. "Guards, this man tried to attack me and is accusing me of treason." He walked to the doors, opening them and stepping out. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to be at. Take him to the cells." And with that, Lord Aizen strode out into the corridor, very pleased with himself.

* * *

Ichigo stood in a small alcove, pressing himself against the wall and straining his hearing to listen to the footsteps of people walking past. He'd already made the mistake of jumping out at the first person who walked past, resulting in a rather terrified old butler. Thankfully, it wasn't a busy corridor, so he could tell when Aizen approached, the slightly heavier footsteps echoing. He waited until the Lord had walked just past his hiding place, and then stepped out, holding the point of his sword to Aizen's back. Much to his surprise, though, the man sighed.

"You know, you two have really ruined the nice day I was having." Although confused, Ichigo forced Aizen to spin around, using the point of his sword to move the man.

"I don't know who else you're talking about," Ichigo said, "But I just want answers."

Lord Aizen nodded, smiling enigmatically. The teenager took that as an invitation to continue. "What is a Diva?" He asked scathingly. This man was dangerous, he could feel it.

"You're asking the wrong kinds of questions, boy. I'm sure there are more pressing matters than a long explanation." Aizen said, his voice smooth and almost hypnotising.

"Then where do these Divas go?" Ichigo growled out. The Lord, still at sword point, nodded once.

"Now that's a better question. They go to a cave in the Karakura mountains."

The orange-haired boy narrowed his eyes a little. "And where is thi-" He was cut off by another sword hitting his outstretched one, catching him off-guard and knocking it away from Aizen. Ichigo spun his head, looking for the attacker, and there stood a man in white armour, his black hair and black cloak a stark contrast. He didn't bother to wait for Ichigo to get his sword up, simply swinging at him, incredibly fast. Ichigo barely managed to block, and the force of the attack pushed him backwards, but it did give him a chance to regain his stance, which gave him a much better chance. This knight was a very good swordsman, but he was better. They exchanged blows, steel ringing as they sought to injure the other man.

"Why did you attack Lord Aizen?" The knight asked, no emotion in his voice.

"Because I need to find someone." Ichigo replied, making himself focus harder to compensate for talking.

The knight furrowed his brow, that much Ichigo could see. "And why do you need to find this person?"

Ichigo was speechless for a second, and could find no reply. He hadn't really known why he was going to find Rukia the day he'd set out- he just had to. "She's my world, and I can't just let my world go!"

The other man suddenly stopped attacking, and Ichigo could see pain in his eyes, which had the glazed-over look one got when reliving an old memory. "Why did you stop, Ulquiorra? Kill him!" Yelled Aizen from a way back.

Ulquiorra looked up at Ichigo, and for a second he expected the knight to just attack him again. But instead, in the blink of an eye, he had his sword up to Aizen's throat.

For the first time, the Lord seemed genuinely surprised. "I remember," Ulquiorra said, anger clear in his voice, "I remember everything. I remember her." Aizen was about to reply when tens of guards ran into the corridor, surrounding Ichigo and Ulquiorra.

* * *

Just a little earlier, Yoruichi stood several floors below Ichigo, hiding in a corner. The corridor she was in was, unfortunately, one of the better-guarded in the palace. The woman poked her head around a corner, looking at her destination. A wooden door, reinforced with metal, was at the end of the corridor, and around it stood five or so soldiers, talking quietly and insulting each other. She sighed, moving back into the deep shadows. She could take three head on, but five would be a little more of a challenge. However, Yoruichi had always been resourceful, and this was just yet another time to prove it.

Although she'd changed from a dress into pants and a top, the shirt had a crossover neckline, which she grabbed and gently started pulling. After a minute or two of adjusting, the neckline of the shirt dipped right between her breasts, which were barely covered. Yoruichi stood up, and after a second, walked out into the corridor. Intentionally swinging her hips more than usual and trying to look as blatantly sexual as possible, she strolled up to the door.

"The Lord Mage sent me to have a little fun with you boys. You work so hard..." Yoruichi said, letting a bit of false innocence seep into her words. It was easy to see the lust on their faces- they were payed little, so they probably could never afford a high-end prostitute like her. It was a minute or two later, when one had his hands all over her chest and another was trying to get his hands down her pants when one soldier, sitting back and just watching, said, "Hey, wait a minute. Isn't the Lord Mage in one of the cells?"

Yoruichi pouted. "Damn. I was so sure it would work for a little longer." She then grinned and, grabbing the wrist of the one fondling her chest, twisted it up so she could duck underneath and flipped him over her back into the other interested one. Both sprawled on the ground, but she didn't pause to think about them. The others charged at her, but their movements were clumsy, so she easily dodged past, ending up behind them. One she kicked as hard as she could in the back of the knees, and she heard something crack as he fell over, howling. The two others turned, running back at her, and she bent back, flipping her legs over her body one at a time, hitting both soldiers in the head with her feet, and they slumped to the floor.

Yoruichi stood back, looking at her work. Five guards lay on the floor, either unconscious or groaning in pain. She bent down and grabbed the ring of keys from a belt, unlocking the door and slipping inside. Momentarily, she considered fixing her shirt, but eventually decided against it. Who knew if there might be more guards to get out of the way? She walked past the cells, peering through the gloom into each one, looking for her old friend.

It was easier to find him than she expected- a small fire in the palm of his hand lit up the room, throwing shadows across his face, making him look even more mysterious than usual. Yoruichi leant against the bars, dangling the ring of keys off one finger. Urahara looked up as he heard them clinking, smiling at seeing the woman.

"Of all the places you had to get yourself trapped in... I had to take down all five guards to get in here." She said slyly as he walked up to the bars.

"Yeah, well, you love me too much to leave me down here." Urahara casually remarked, trying to stealthily take the ring of keys out of her hand.

Yoruichi noticed long before he even got close, though, and stepped away, dangling the ring just out of his reach. Urahara shook his head, chuckling at her.

"Plus, I'm sure you had no trouble with that. Your charms are completely irresistible for lesser men, especially when your shirt is open like that." She looked down, seeing her chest barely covered, and grinned back up at him. Urahara stuck one hand out the bars, splayed his fingers, and quickly closed them, pulling his hand inwards. Yoruichi was helpless as an invisible force pulled her back toward the bars, and the mage's hand quickly slid around her waist, pinning her there. He quickly kissed her cheek, taking the keys with his other hand, and unlocked the cell door. The woman quickly found both his hands on her hips, his lips pressed to hers, and she snaked her hands around his neck. They'd been lovers years ago, before he'd become the Lord Mage. They stood like that for a minute or two, before she pulled away.

"As much as I'd love to be all over you right now, one, we're in a dungeon, and two, we've got a boy to help." Yoruichi said, and they ran out, hands linked.

* * *

Ichigo twisted his head around, trying to gauge how many soldiers there were. 40? Maybe more? In any case, too many for just the two of them to take on, no matter how skilled they were as swordsmen. He and Ulquiorra stood back-to-back, swords held out in front of them.

"So, remind me why you're now on my side?" Ichigo whispered to the knight. Ulquiorra shook his head. "I believe there are more pressing issues right now. Like how to get out of this... Minor problem."

He was about to reply with some smart-ass comment when a blast of air radiated from a nearby wall, showering dust and small rocks over everyone, and the guards closest were knocked away. As the air cleared, the first thing Ichigo saw was a pair of amber eyes, almost glowing. But they soon stepped out of the shadows, and to his surprise, there stood Yoruichi, with a tall, blonde man at her side.

Ulquiorra, who flicked his head back, could see Aizen almost visibly seething with rage. He felt... Victorious, yet another emotion this strange day was throwing at him.

"Come on, out this way!" They both heard Yoruichi yell, and both Ichigo and Ulquiorra ran at the hole in the wall, soldiers right behind them. The blonde man moved his hands rather dramatically, whispering under his breath, which at first Ichigo thought was just for show, but when a soldier right behind them was blasted by a fireball, he realised that the man must be a mage, and probably Yoruichi's contact as well.

Their flight from the palace was a fast one. Once they all started running, soldiers were constantly yelling at them from behind, and a few fireballs and ice spears shot just past their heads several times, presumably from Aizen or other mages. Ichigo couldn't tell where they were going, but the mage they were following seemed to know exactly which tunnels to go through or corridors to run down. It seemed like only minutes before they were out of the city, although he was so out-of-breath when they stopped that it must have been longer.

All four of them stood hunched over, trying to catch their breath, in a small cave behind a pile of rocks. It would be almost impossible to find unless you knew exactly where it was, so they were safe there for a time.

When they had all stopped panting, Yoruichi was the first one to talk. "I think some introductions, and then a story or two, are in order."

Everyone nodded, but no-one else spoke, so she sighed. "Fine, I'll go first. Yoruichi Shihoin. I own and work in the brothel on High Street. Or, I did."

The blonde man was next. "I'm Kisuke Urahara. Mage. Yoruichi and I know each-other from way back."

Ichigo decided to speak up. "Ichigo... Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm not anything special." He shrugged.

The knight was last. "I am Ulquiorra Schiffer." His speech was emotionless, and he regularly glared at Urahara. "I am a knight of Lord Aizen's."

Yoruichi, who appeared to have taken charge, nodded, looking around the motley group of four. "Ichigo, I think it's your turn again. Tell your story." He took a deep breath, trying to remember all the details which had slowly blended into his journey, which had become more like an adventure you read of in books.

"I lived in a small village in the mountains in the south. Rukia Kuchiki lived there too."

* * *

Dear god, I am the worst person at updating ever. Le shudder. Anyway, I apologise for not updating this sooner. I'm writing more right now, so probably another two chapters or so to go.

Reviews would be much appreciated 3


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